Liquid cooling device

ABSTRACT

A liquid cooling device includes a heat-dissipating member, a driving member and a heat-absorbing member connected together to form a heat transfer loop. A coolant is filled in the heat transfer loop. The heat-absorbing member defines therein a receiving chamber. A heat sink and a heat pipe are received in the receiving chamber. The heat pipe thermally connects the heat sink to a heat-absorbing plate of the heat-absorbing member. The heat-absorbing plate is used for contacting with a heat-generating component. The coolant is driven by the driving member to circulate between the heat-absorbing member. Heat generated by the heat-generating component is absorbed by the heat-absorbing plate and transferred to the heat sink via the heat pipe. The heat sink releases the heat to the coolant. The coolant takes the heat from the heat-absorbing member to the heat-dissipating member for dissipating.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to liquid cooling devices, and more particularly to a liquid cooling device for dissipating heat from heat-generating electronic components such as processors of computers.

2. Description of Related Art

Along with fast developments in electronic information industries, electronic components such as central processing units (CPUs) of computers are capable of operating at a higher frequency and speed. As a result, the heat generated by the CPUs during normal operation is commensurately increased. If the generated heat can not be quickly removed away from the CPUs, the CPUs will be overheated, and eventually the workability and stability of the CPUs will be affected.

In order to remove the heat of the CPUs, cooling devices often need to be provided to the CPUs to dissipate heat therefrom. Conventionally, heat sinks combined with electric fans are usually used for this heat dissipation purpose. These conventional cooling devices are sufficient for CPUs with low operating frequencies, but are unsatisfactory for cooling the CPUs with high operating frequencies.

Liquid cooling devices with high heat dissipation efficiencies are used for dissipating heat generated by high operating frequency CPUs. A typical liquid cooling device generally includes a heat-absorbing member for absorbing heat from the CPU, a heat-dissipating member for dissipating the heat to the surrounding environment, a pump for driving a coolant to circulate between the heat-absorbing member and the heat-dissipating member, and a plurality of tubes for connecting the heat-absorbing member, the pump and the heat-dissipating member in a loop. In use, the heat-absorbing member is maintained in thermal contact with the CPU for absorbing heat generated by the CPU. The coolant is driven by the pump to circulate between the heat-absorbing member and the heat-dissipating member to continuously bring the heat absorbed by the heat-absorbing member to the heat-dissipating member where the heat is dissipated away.

In the typical liquid cooling device, the heat-absorbing member is generally a solid metal block and a liquid flow channel is defined in the heat-absorbing member for passage of the coolant. As the coolant flows through the liquid flow channel, the heat of the CPU is absorbed by the coolant. However, the liquid flow channel has a relatively small heat exchange surface with the coolant and thereby the heat-absorbing member cannot exchange heat efficiently with the coolant. As a result, the heat of the CPU can not be adequately transferred to the coolant of the heat-absorbing member and timely taken away by the liquid cooling device.

What is desired, therefore, is a liquid cooling device which can overcome the above described shortcoming.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically shows a liquid cooling device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a heat-absorbing member of the liquid cooling device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, but shown from an inverted aspect.

FIG. 4 is a partially assembled view of the heat-absorbing member of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present liquid cooling device in detail.

Referring to FIG. 1, a liquid cooling device 100 according an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The liquid cooling device 100 includes a heat-absorbing member 10, a heat-dissipating member 20 and a driving member 30. The driving member 30 may be a pump. These individual components (i.e., the heat-absorbing member 10, the heat-dissipating member 20 and the driving member 30) are connected together via a plurality of connecting tubes 40 so as to form a heat transfer loop. A coolant such as water is filled in the heat transfer loop and driven by the driving member 30 to circulate through the heat-absorbing member 10 and the heat-dissipating member 20.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the heat-absorbing member 10 includes a heat-absorbing plate 12, a heat sink 18 on the heat-absorbing plate 12, a heat pipe 16 interconnecting the heat sink 18 and the heat-absorbing plate 12, and a cover 14 covered on and hermetically connected to the heat-absorbing plate 12. The heat-absorbing plate 12 is made of a material having a good heat conductive property, such as copper. The heat-absorbing plate 12 has a planar top surface 122 and an opposite bottom surface 124. A rectangular contact surface 126 protrudes out from the bottom surface 124. Four mounting holes 128 are defined at four corners of the heat-absorbing plate 12, respectively.

The heat sink 18 includes a plurality of fins 180 stacked together with one above another along a bottom-to-top direction. The fins 180 are parallel to the heat-absorbing plate 12. Two through holes 182 are defined in and extend through the heat sink 18.

The heat pipe 16 is U-shaped and includes a central evaporating section 162 and two condensing sections 164 extending upwardly from two opposite ends of the evaporating section 162, respectively. The evaporating section 162 is fixed to the top surface 122 of the heat-absorbing plate 12. The two condensing sections 164 are fixed in the two through holes 182 of the heat sink 18, whereby the heat pipe 16 thermally connects the heat-absorbing plate 12 with the heat sink 18.

The cover 14 includes a sealing plate 141 and a sidewall 142 extending downwardly from an outer periphery of the sealing plate 141. A top of the cover 14 is sealed by the sealing plate 141. An cavity 145 is provided at a bottom of the cover 14. Thus, when the cover 14 is coupled to the heat-absorbing plate 12, a receiving chamber 140 is defined between the cover 14 and the heat-absorbing plate 12. An annular groove 146 is defined in a bottom of an inner surface of the sidewall 142 and surrounds the cavity 145. A waterproof ring 143 is disposed in the groove 146 to hermetically connect the cover 14 to the heat-absorbing plate 12. Four mounting holes 144 corresponding to the four mounting holes 128 of the heat-absorbing plate 12 are defined at four corners of the cover 14, respectively. An inlet hole 148 and an outlet hole 149 are provided at two opposite sides of the cover 14, respectively. The inlet hole 148 and the outlet hole 149 each are defined through the sidewall 142 of the cover 14 and communicated with the receiving chamber 140.

In assembly of the heat-absorbing member 10, the heat sink 18 is thermally connected to the heat-absorbing plate 12 via the heat pipe 16. The heat pipe 16 is fixed to the heat-absorbing plate 12 at a position just corresponding to the contact surface 126. The cover 14 is covered on the heat-absorbing plate 12. Four fasteners 80 such as screws extend sequentially through the four mounting holes 144 of the cover 14 and the four mounting holes 128 of the heat-absorbing plate 12 to hermetically connect the cover 14 to the heat-absorbing plate 12. The inlet hole 148 is connected with a connector 90. The outlet hole 149 is connected with another connector 90. The heat-absorbing member 10 is then connected with the connecting tubes 40 via the connectors 90 to form the heat transfer loop. The heat sink 18 together with the heat pipe 16 is received in the receiving chamber 140 of the heat-absorbing member 10 and immersed in the coolant filled in the receiving chamber 140.

In operation, the heat-absorbing member 10 is maintained in thermal contact with a heat-generating electronic component (not shown) such a CPU of a computer. The contact surface 126 of the heat-absorbing plate 12 is brought to contact with the CPU. Heat generated by the CPU is transferred to and absorbed by the heat-absorbing plate 12. A portion of the heat absorbed by the heat-absorbing plate 12 is transferred to the heat pipe 16 and then from the heat pipe 16 to the heat sink 18. The coolant received in the receiving chamber 140 of the heat-absorbing member 10 exchanges heat with the heat sink 18, and the heat sink 18 releases the heat to the coolant. On the other hand, another portion of the heat absorbed by the heat-absorbing plate 12 is directly released from the heat-absorbing plate 12 to the coolant. After the coolant receives the heat generated by the CPU, the coolant is driven by the driving member 30 to move towards the heat-dissipating member 20 where the heat is dissipated to the ambient environment. After releasing the heat in the heat-dissipating member 20, the coolant is brought back to the heat-absorbing member 10 again by the driving member 30, thus continuously taking the heat away from the CPU.

In the present liquid cooling device 100, the total heat exchange surface with the coolant of the heat sink 18 in the heat-absorbing member 10 greatly increases. Because the heat sink 18 is immersed in the coolant and can exchange heat rapidly and efficiently with the coolant, the heat of the CPU can be quickly and efficiently moved away by the coolant.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiment, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A liquid cooling device, comprising: a heat-dissipating member; a driving member; and a heat-absorbing member defining therein a receiving chamber, a heat sink and a heat pipe being received in the receiving chamber, the heat pipe thermally connecting the heat sink to a heat-absorbing plate of the heat-absorbing member, the heat-absorbing plate being adapted for contacting with a heat-generating component, the heat-absorbing member, the heat-dissipating member and the driving member being connected together to form a heat transfer loop, a coolant being filled in the heat transfer loop, the coolant being driven by the driving member to circulate through the heat-absorbing member and the heat-dissipating member, whereby heat generated by the heat-generating component is absorbed by the heat-absorbing plate and transferred to the heat sink via the heat pipe, the heat sink releases the heat to the coolant, and the coolant takes the heat from the heat-absorbing member to the heat-dissipating member for dissipating.
 2. The liquid cooling device of claim 1, wherein the heat sink comprises a plurality of fins stacked together, the heat pipe comprises an evaporating section and a condensing section, the evaporating section is fixed to the heat-absorbing plate of the heat-absorbing member, and the condensing section is fixed to the heat sink.
 3. The liquid cooling device of claim 2, wherein a through hole is defined in the heat sink and the condensing section of the heat pipe is fixed in the through hole of the heat sink.
 4. The liquid cooling device of claim 2, wherein the heat pipe is U-shaped, the evaporating section is formed at a central portion of the heat pipe, the condensing section is formed at each of two opposite ends of the evaporating section.
 5. The liquid cooling device of claim 1, wherein the heat-absorbing member further comprises a cover hermetically connected to the heat-absorbing plate, the receiving chamber is defined between the cover and the heat-absorbing plate.
 6. The liquid cooling device of claim 5, wherein the cover comprises a sealing plate and a sidewall extending from an outer periphery of the sealing plate, an inlet hole and an outlet hole are defined through the sidewall.
 7. The liquid cooling device of claim 5, wherein a waterproof ring is arranged between the heat-absorbing plate and the cover.
 8. The liquid cooling device of claim 7, wherein an annular groove is defined between the heat-absorbing plate and the cover, and the waterproof ring is fixed in the groove.
 9. The liquid cooling device of claim 1, wherein the heat-absorbing plate is made of copper.
 10. The liquid cooling device of claim 1, wherein the heat-absorbing plate is made of a material of good heat conductivity.
 11. The liquid cooling device of claim 1, wherein the heat sink and the heat pipe is immersed in the coolant contained in the receiving chamber. 